Review of Nell

Introduction

To grow up in a forest and not have any communication with the western civilised world can almost seem like paradise. Almost. Nell (Jodie Foster) is the orphan discovered in a forest by Doctor Jerome Lovell (Liam Neeson) and who`s been shielded all her life from the world by her speech impaired mother. The outside world become interested in Nell as an experiment and try to bring her in using the argument that they want to help her, but this won`t happen while Jerome is there to protect her. What follows is a study of Nell while people try to figure what`s best for her.

Video

Nell is presented with a 2:35:1 16:9 enhanced transfer and on the whole the quality isn`t bad. There`s some dirt and grain but thankfully not too much, while colours and detail are well reproduced. There are lots of greens and browns in the forest and the colour comes across as well balanced. There is some smearing, but again not a lot.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack offers up a more than competent soundtrack. There`s a lot of dialogue, which comes out clearly, and the music too fairs well from the front speakers. There`s some nice music used throughout the film.

Features

Easy to navigate static menus with a solitary extra.

• Original Theatrical Trailer (2:12) - As it says, a trailer.

As usual with MGM discs, there`s a multitude of European subtitles and audio options.

Conclusion

Nell isn`t a bad film, particularly if you want something easy going and light. However should you want something more from the story, then this film won`t really deliver it. From the moment when Nell is discovered by the outside psychiatrists to the film`s end, the slow lumbering pace, which is filled with an impressive performance from Jodie Foster, fails to excite, stimulate or intrigue beyond the surface.

There`s a struggle to decide Nell`s future involving courtroom arguments, the professional psychiatrists and village doctor Jerome Lovell. While Nell`s future is being decided there`s the growing love interest between Jerome (Liam Neeson) and the opposing doctor (Natasha Richardson) too. This all comes to a head with Nell herself taking centre stage in the courtroom delivering her rhetoric on life as seen through her eyes. Her articulation pretty much sews up her own future and we can look forward to a happy ending. Ta da! The End.

One aspect I feel is missing from the film is a deeper look into Nell herself as we never really delve into her character beyond learning her language. This is a poor omission since the film revolves around her in the first place. If you enjoy light films then rent or watch this the next time it`s on TV.